Left to right
Hodges, Pettit, Durante, Smith, Nevills and Joerger
not pictured: Baker, Ruttledge and the Klaput brothers.

Undated photo, unidentified aircraft

Due to losses, the Hodges crew
flew only a few missions together. Following the loss of four members on
February 28, the rest of the crew often filled in as replacements for
other crews. Six were captured or interned. Only two completed their
tour.

No.

Date

Target

Aircraft
(Hodges as 1st Pilot)

Comments

3

12/30/43

LUDWIGSHAFEN

Flying with
command pilot

4

01/04/44

KIEL

42-32108

7

01/11/44

BRUNSWICK

42-32206

8

01/14/44

NOBALL NO. 107
GRAND PARC

42-32206

11

01/29/44

FRANKFURT

42-32204

12

01/30/44

BRUNSWICK

42-32161

13

02/03/44

WILHELMSHAVEN

42-32204

15

02/05/44

ROMILLY

42-32144

16

02/06/44

EVREUX-FAUVILLE

42-97497 "Tuxedo Tommy"

19

02/13/44

NOBALL NO.S 110, 78

42-32155

20

02/20/44

TUTOW

42-32204

24

02/28/44

NOBALL NO. 74
BOIS DE LA JUSTICE

Hodges didn't fly
this day.
Pettit and Joerger killed, flying with Lt. Fouts.
Baker and Rutledge in another plane, bailed out and were captured.

25

02/29/44

BRUNSWICK

42-97501 "Gum Chum"

26

03/03/44

BERLIN - RECALL

42-39882

27

03/09/44

BERLIN

28

03/15/44

BRUNSWICK

29

03/16/44

AUGSBURG

30

03/15/44

BRUNSWICK

31

03/16/44

AUGSBURG

Durante down with
Huckins, captured

Although not listed as first
pilot on the mission summaries currently available, Lt. Hodges continued
to fly until April 13, when he and Smith were on board an aircraft that
made a forced landing in Switzerland.

The
Crew:

Pilot

Lt. James M.
Hodges

Interned 4/13/44
in Switzerland

Co-Pilot

Lt. Harry R.
Pettit, Jr.

KIA 02/28/44
flying with Lt. Fouts

Navigator

Lt. Arthur A.
Durante

POW 03/16/44
flying with Lt. Huckins

Bombardier

Lt. Jesse T.
Smith, Jr.

Interned 4/13/44
in Switzerland

Engineer

Sgt. Donald M.
Nevills

Reassigned to
Leigh crew

Radio
Operator

Sgt. Karl F.
Joerger

KIA 02/28/44
flying with Lt. Fouts

Waist Gunner

Sgt. William T.
Baker

POW 02/28/44

Waist Gunner

Sgt. Raymond H.
Rutledge, Jr.

POW 02/28/44

Ball Turret
Gunner

Sgt. George E.
Klaput

Completed tour

Tail Gunner

Sgt. Joseph H.
Klaput

POW 05/12/44
flying with Lt. Pettus

George and Joe Klaput were the only twins ever to serve together on
the same crew, not to mention in the same unit. Somehow they convinced
the Air Force to set aside its policy forbidding brothers to serve
together.